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| Inklings of Frodo's Youth by Aunt Dora | 53 Review(s) |
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| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 9/6/2013 |
| I'm rather surprised that the news of Primula's death did not make it to the Great Smials; she was, after all, the Old Took's granddaughter! I particularly enjoy the way you show young Frodo as a scholar. I've known young people like that--the need of a break and a breathing time to assimilate new information is not uncommon. I also enjoy your glimpse of education in the Shire. I too believe it would be something kept "in the family" so to speak. A very nice chapter, and a treat to see a new one! Author Reply: Thank you, Dreamflower. Yes, it is a challenge to justify the lack of communication between Buckland and the rest of the Shire concerning Frodo and the drowning of his parents. We got a clue in this chapter that Primula's union with Drogo was not blessed by her parents. In the next chapter I will share a few more of the Brandybucks' reasons for staying silent in the matter. I am sure that it will never be entirely plausible. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 9/4/2013 |
| Ah! Love seeing Frodo at school! And of course he was an excellent student! Author Reply: This chapter took a few revisions. I started out having Frodo and Merry exploring Great Smials, but the decided on having him make a friend and attend classes. Pearl was too young, so I picked Reginard from the family tree. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 9/3/2013 |
| Oh my, you've imagined all this in such detail! Are you drawing on anything from your own life regarding Frodo in his class? Author Reply: Very perceptive, Shirebound! Frodo's experiences at Great Smials reflect myself, my brother, and our childhood friends. The "simply must remember her subtraction facts" is a direct quote from my second grade teacher to my mother during a parent-teacher conference. Mom later ran into her and proudly told her that I had a Master's in Applied Mathematics (I still can't do arithmetic in my head). The other aspect that relates to me is the part about needing to sleep while learning new things. A 15-minute snooze immediately after studying something complicated always made it make sense. I still do that. | |
| YellowRose437 | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 7/29/2013 |
| I'm really enjoying these stories of Frodo's youth. Nice job with characterizations. I don't like to think of him not being well-cared-for at Brandy Hall. It's nice that you've added a few unusual words in the end of this chapter; I'll have to look them up! Cheers! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 7/22/2013 |
| Another interesting interlude. I don't believe it had ever occurred to me about Bilbo meeting Aragorn prior to his leaving the Shire, except for an AU or two. But I quite enjoyed Bilbo's conversations with Aunt Dora. I think perhaps the youngster knows her better than she knows herself. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 7/22/2013 |
| A disturbing interlude for Gandalf--still deeply needing to trust in Saruman, for after all Saruman is supposedly the greatest of their order, and if he cannot be trusted, can any of them, including himself? The answer of course, is yes. Because one falters it doesn't mean others will (or do). But much of Gandalf's wisdom was not in knowledge or in learning or in logic. His wisdom lay in a true heart--one that could recognize other true hearts. And of course THAT is the reason he was attracted to the hobbit race, though his own humility prevents him from realizing it. Saruman, however, is already on the other side of that proverbial slippery slope. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/22/2013 |
| I like the idea of Bilbo having a lady love and Frodo realizing it by chance. And of course Gandalf would speak of many things to this bright lad! | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/21/2013 |
| “What do you think is fairest, Uncle?” Frodo asked. “The front door as I return from my travels,” Bilbo answered honestly, tousling Frodo’s hair and clasping his shoulder. Yet even as looked into the eyes of his happy young charge to speak the words, he became conscious that at that moment he was witnessing something truly fair. What a lovely realization. I enjoyed these journeys very much. Both of them appreciate what they're seeing, what they have, and with whom they're traveling. Author Reply: Thank you, Shirebound. I love to romp the Shire with our friends. | |
| Lynn H | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/30/2010 |
| Oh you ARE having fun with vocabulary! axenic agrestic ataraxy ? ALL in one paragraph! Are we going to get past the A's? Meanwhile, I will keep reading because you are several chapters ahead of me. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 12/30/2010 |
| A most interesting interlude, this. And Aunt Dora once taught art in a school? Most interesting! Love the stone owl! | |